The name Waddlingtown was brought to England by the Normans when they conquered the country in 1066. It comes from the Germanic personal nameWalter. The name is composed of the elements wald, meaning rule and heri, meaning army.

Early Origins of the Waddlingtown family

The surname Waddlingtown was first found in Sussex where they were conjecturally descended from the village of Wartling or Whatlington, held at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book survey by William by the Count of Eu [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8). The hamlet consisted of 3 salt houses at that time. Although other historians conjecture that it was related to Watling Street, the great Roman Way which winds northward in England to Chester and the north, this seems impractical. Derived from this is also Watlington, "ton" meaning a hamlet. The many other explanations of the origin of this name such as the trade name of 'watling', a form of wall and roof construction of houses in ancient times, can be discounted as too general for such an isolated name. If this were the origin, Watling would be as popular and prolific as Carpenter and many other house building trade surnames. Watlington is a parish located in Norfolk and Oxfordshire. The latter has a most interesting history. The place name is supposed to have been derived from the Saxon Watelar, meaning "hurdles" or " wattles," alluding to the way in which the Britons are described to have built their towns, " as groves fenced in with hewn trees." It is traditionally said that a military chest of money was left at the house of Robert Parslow, in the town, and never afterwards claimed, in consequence of which he bequeathed a liberal donation to the poor of the parish. [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.

Early History of the Waddlingtown family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Waddlingtown research.Another 373 words (27 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1332, 1200, 1688, 1695, 1711, 1792 and 1681 are included under the topic Early Waddlingtown History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Waddlingtown Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Waddlingtown family name include Watling, Whatling, Watlington, Watlingtone, Whatlington and many more.

Early Notables of the Waddlingtown family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John (George) Watling (died 1681), an English buccaneer who claimed to have never plundered on the Sabbath and refused... Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Waddlingtown Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Waddlingtown family to the New World and Oceana

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Waddlingtown family to immigrate North America: Ffrances Watling who settled in Virginia in 1660; John Watling landed in America in 1753; James Watling settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1842.

The Waddlingtown Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.